robocall

A phone call that uses a computerized auto-dialer to deliver a pre-recorded message, it sounds like it's coming from a robot. Robocalls are often associated with political and telemarketing phone campaigns, but can also be used for public-service or emergency announcements.

Historical perspective: Some 2.5 billion robocalls were placed to U.S. consumers in October 2017, according to the blocking service YouMail. That translates to 80.5 million robocalls a day. Here are a few strategies on how to stop them:

* Ignore them - The most effective defense is to not answer calls from numbers you don't recognize. If you do answer, don't accept any prerecorded invitation to opt-out by pressing a key as that will merely verify that yours in a working number and make you a target for more calls.
* Use DoNotCall.gov - List your number on the U.S. government's National Do NOt Call Registry, but know that many spammers don't fear being fined. When unwanted call do get through, report them there.
* Get a screening app - Appls like RoboKiller will block robocalls; others with inform the caller that your number is out of service.
* Turn the tables - Subscribe to the Jolly Roger Telephone Co. (jollyrogertelco.com) and you can transfer telemarketing calls to a robot that'll frustrate the caller by keeping up your end of the conversation indefinitely.